Mapnik is a python librairy that creates png images from geographical sources like OpenStreetMap data,
PostGIS databases and shapefiles. The librairy is mainly used to create the different map
layers used in OpenStreetMap.

Mapnik can be extended with some plugins. One of this is the “python plugin” that allows to use python as a data source.

This article explain how to install mapnik with the python plugin for ubuntu 14.04.
Indeed, the use of the python plugin installed with aptitude triggers a segfault. This
segfault is generated by the boost librairy.
The only way to use the python plugin is to
reinstall boost with a patch and then to
install mapnik from scratch. This post explains the method.